Refrigerator closure



June 9, 1931. sw 1,809,150

REFRIGERATOR CLOSURE Filed Dc. 16, 1927 just suflicient to cause the lock ofthe refrig- Patented June 9, 1931 UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE ETTOCE S WEDMAN, 01' ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR '.l.'0 SEEGEB REFRIGERATOR OOMIPANY, OF S'IL'PAUL, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION 01? MINNESOTA nnrmcm'ron cnosunn Application filed December 16, 1927. Serial 1W0. 240,875.

6 .and where the door is formed with'an outer metallic covering and a similar inner covering to provide smooth surfaces which can be easily ept clean.

A feature of the invention resides in pro- 1 viding means adapted to permit the forming of a door with an outer enameled sheathing which is formed straight and true and which is adapted to receive the body of the door 1 which ordinarily is m'ade of insulating ma- 15 terial and is held within and against the outer sheathing in a manner to provide the desired door structure. By forming the body of the door in a particular manner I. provide a means of curving the door or bowing the same upwardly at the center so that a single locking member can be used with the free edge of the door positioned centrally of the same and yet the upper and lower free ends of the door will engage tightly against the 'door casing to form a virtuall airtight closure around the entire edge 0 the door.

In construction of refrigerators it has been found to be very practical to use an outer enameled sheathing which covers the refrigerator and this sheathing extends to and about the door openings so that the door of a refrigerator can bear against this enameled sheathing surface when it is closed. The outer surface of the refrigerator door is formed with a similar enameled cover as the surface of the refrigerator, and, thus when the door is closed it makes a neat, clean. and desirable finish for the refrigerator. Each door is ordinarily provided with a pair of hinges near each end of the same and by means of a single lock on the free side of the door which is ordinarily positioned near the center, the door is held in closed position. By s0 constructing the body of the'door I rovide a curve along the free edge which is erator to draw the door tight along the entire free edge of the door.

These features together with other detalls and objects of my invention will be more tion and claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 illustrates the outer portion of a refrigerator showing one of the doors thereclearly and fully set forth in the specifica- Figure 2 is a section on a portion of a refrigerator showing my door just before it is moved into closed or locked position.

Figure 3 is a perspective looking at the inner side of my door with a portion of the same broken away.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fi re 3. g

on the line 5-5 of lgure 5 is asection Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a detail showin the refrigerator in section an my door as it would appear in closed position.

' My refrigerator door A is formed with an outer sheathing 10 made of metal or other suitable material, and when made of metal is enameled over the outer surface to give a smooth finish to the same. The outer sheathing 10 of my door A is provided with a rolled edge 11 extending entirely about the same.

The door A is provided with a rectangular frame 12 which is made of wood or other insulating material which "is formed in the ordinary manner to provide a rectangular frame mitered together at 13 and which is adapted to fit in the back of the sheathing 10. The frame 12 is held connected to the sheathing in any-suitable manner such as by the hinges 14 and the lock 15, or by any other suitable means wherein the frame 12 is ri idly connected to the outer sheathing 10. he look 15 is adapted to engage under the keeper 16 which is attached to the body B of the refrigerator.

The refrigerator is covered with an outer enameled sheathing 18.

In constructing my door A for the refrigerator or for other purposes I provide an arcing strip 20 which extends along the free edge 21 of the door A and which is adapted to be rigidly attached to the frame 12 of the body of the door A. The arcing strip 20 is formed with an arcuated surface 22 which a portion of and has a tendency to curve the outer surface 1 of the door A in a manner to are the same 5 with the high point at the center 23 where the lock is attached. This arcing strip curves the free edge only of the door A so slightly in proportion to the size of the door as to permit the remainder of the door toflextend virtually flat and true. 1 e

The arcing strip 20 curves the free edge of the door so thatfithe corner portions 24 are adapted to engage the outer surface 18 of the refrigerator before the center portion 23 as illustrated in Figure 2.

The body of the door A: made up by the frame 12 includes the arcing strip 20 and a cross brace member 25 centrally disposed between the sides of the frame 12 and in the door A. The compartments 26 on either side of the center strip 25 in the door A are adapted to be filled with insulating material of any suitable nature.

I provide the door A with an inner enameled covering member 28 which fits into the groove 29 formed in the frame 12 and covers the inner body portion of the door A. The frame 12 is provided with a rabbeted edge 30 upon which I place flexible strips of material 31 to form a packing on the rabbeted surfaces 30 about the entire door A.

The door A is ordinarily provided with a single lock 15 as illustrated and this is positioned at the high point 23 on the free edge of the door, while the hinges 14 are placed in a manner to hold the other side of the door hingedly connected to the frame of the refrigerator.

The arcing strip 20 holds the free edge of the door actuated in such amanner as to permit the corners 24 to engage against the surface 18 of the refrigerator before the lock 15 engages in the keeper 16. The packing members 31- form a tight joint between the door A and the refrigerator covering 18 so that when the door A is held in locked position by the lock 15, as illustrated in Figure 6, the free edge of the door A will be tight throughout its length against the surface 18. The hinge 5 members 14 hold the hinged edge of the door and thus I provide a means of curving the door'just slightly yet enough to cause the same to close tightly all around andprovide a very efiicient closure for refrigerators.

My door A is of a very desirable nature particularly for refrigerators and which will e readily appreciated when considering the hard use to which the refrigerator doors are subjected and more particularly for the reason that a refrigerator door is opened and closed quite often and is sometimes'left partly open owing to the fact that the user did not know they had not shut the same. My door is constructed in a manner to arcuate a por- 65 tion of the refrigerator door so that anyone using the'same can readily see that the door is open or slightly open if it is not closed tighty. It is also apparent that the free edge of a refrigerator door if reinforced and strength- ,ened will maintain its shape and operate to provide a better closure, and I have accomplished this by the reinforcing strip 20 which provides the arcuating means for the door in a manner so that the outer surface and frame of the door are arcuated just sufficiently to strengthen the same and to cause the door to close tight without exerting an undesirable strain against the door or having a tendency to bow the door in such a manner as to cause it to warp out of shape in the severe use to which a refrigerator door or similar closure is subjected. This is an important feature of my invention.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my door and while I have illustrated a par ticular formation and construction, together with a certain adaptation of the same, yet I- desire to have it understood that the same is only illustrative of a means of carrying out my invention and that the principles may be applied to other uses than those above set forth Within the scope of the followingclaims Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim: 8 1

1. A refrigerator door including, a body portion, an outer and inner enameled surface, and means in said body portion adapted to arcuate the free edge of the door in a manner to cause the same to seal tight when locked.

2. A door including, inner and outer enameled surfaces,-a body portion interposed between said surfaces, and means in said body portion adapted to provide an arcuated free edge to said door to cause the same to seal tight when closed.

3. A door including, inner and outer enameled surfaces, a body frame interposed between said enameled surfaces,.a member extending along one side of said frame, and an arcuated portion on said member providing, i an arcuated edge along the door when said members are connected together. 4:- A closure comprising, inner and outer surfaces, a body portion for holding said surfaces together, means for hingedly supporting said door, and means for arcuating the free edge thereof to cause said door to close tightalongthe free edge and at the corners adjacent the free edge thereof.

5. A refrigerator closure including,-inner andouter enameled surfaces, an insulating body portion interposed'betweensaid surfaces, a rabbeted edge about said body portion exposed between the. inner and outer enameled surfaces to provide contacting surfaces, and means within said body portion to arcuate a portion of the closure to form a' tight sealing surface with a single locking means along the arcuated or-tion thereof.

6. A refrigerator door aving, a built up body portion, an arcuating member in said body portion, an outer covering for said body portion, means for attaching said covering to said bod portion, and an inner covering for.

said bo y portion, said arcuating member slightly curving said door in a manner to cause the same to provide a closure sealed tightl thereby.

7. K door having an outer and inner portion of enamaled sheet material, a frame member extending interposed between said outer and inner portions, insulating material held in said frame, andmeans formed in said frame adapted to reinforce and arcuate one side thereof in a manner to provide a door structure adapted to seal tight when closed and having a reinforced nature.

8. A door havin an edge portion, said edge portion inclu 1ng bowed means which arcuates said portion, whereby uponclosing of the door said portion tends to straighten out and to provide more intimate engagement between said portion and a door frame.

9. In combination with framework having an opening leading to a compartment therein, a door for said opening hinged to. said framework, means on said door for yieldingly bending one of the edges thereof arcuately, and co-operating means on said framework and door for forcing the yielding bent edgeofsaid door into flat contact throughout Its length with said framework.

ENQCH SWEDMAN. 

